


The Young Wolves' Defiance

by tpt



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Rhaegar Won, B plus A equals J, F/M, Jon Snow is Not a Targaryen, Jon Snow is a Stark, R plus L equals D
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-30 10:29:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17222309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tpt/pseuds/tpt
Summary: Brandon Stark and Ashara Dayne's one night stand at Harrenhal produced a son. Brandon then married her before he went to King's Landing, thus legitimizing his son. Ned Stark wedded Catelyn Tully at Riverrun and on their wedding night, conceived a girl. After the rebellion being crushed, the two babes were raised at Winterfell by their uncle Benjen. One day, they disappeared and sent Winterfell into chaos.





	1. The Forgotten Wolf

**Author's Note:**

  * For [General_Crow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/General_Crow/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have my main story going on half way. But during the break, I picked up the "Fire and Blood" book and was greatly inspired by it. This is a side project to get me more motivated to go back my former work. I borrow many elements from my other story and the Regencies of King Jaehaerys and Aegon III in the book. To avoid confusion, Jon's name in this AU is Jonnel Stark. Also the forgotten wolf here is Benjen because he used to be overshadowed by his siblings and now he was dominated by other regents. English isn't my first language so please go easy on me.

The great hall suddenly got quiet after Lord Bolton dismissed all the guards and maester Luwin as well. The Leech Lord was occupying the main seat at the high table flanked with Karstark and Manderly. Even though he appeared to be emotionless, Benjen could feel the fire under his cold white eyes. If looks could kill, Benjen believed Roose Bolton would have flayed him alive tenfold with his stare alone.

  
Rickard Karstark was even less subtle, his face was all reddened with rage as he slammed on the table, screamed at Benjen and demanded he to tell the truth. The only thing that stop Lord Karstark from strangling Benjen with his barehand was the presence of Ghost beside him. His albino direwolf might seemed aloof at times but no one should underestimate his killing instinct if any harm was inflicted upon his master. 

  
Lord Too-Fat-to-Sit-a-House tried to play the peacemaker, urging all parties to remain calm and work together to resolve this crisis. However, Benjen knew too well that underneath, the Lord of White Harbor was cheering at the situation since he always strived when there were conflicts and chaos among others. One should never count on a typical Southron politician to mean exactly his words.

  
“You must know where the boy went, Lord Benjen.” Roose Bolton addressed him in his usual low voice. “We need to find him as soon as possible before he tries something stupid and dishonors Lady Sansa.”

  
“Dishonor?” Karstark growl sarcastically. “It was the harlot who seduced the boy and misled him. I would wager my head that she already opened her legs for him. What do you expect from a Tully whore? Her mother is the most notorious scheming bitch in the entire Seven Kingdoms. Like mother, like daughter. I guess.”

  
“That was the Lady Sansa of house Stark you are talking about, my Lord. And only a worthless head can be wagered that carelessly.” The Bolton snapped back at the Karstark and for a moment Benjen could see the latter was cowed by his words. Even in his anger, Rickard should be cautious not to upset the Leech Lord.

  
“My Lords, my Lords. We aren’t each other’s enemies but brothers in arms. We are here to serve the young Lord Stark at his pleasure. Now then, if his Lordship has found a companionship in the beautiful Lady Sansa. Who are we to defiled his will? Shouldn’t we just give him our blessing, guide him in his marriage life and of course attempt to smoothen some inconveniences that may come due to this unexpected union?” Manderly offered some of his flowery wisdom, but surely, he just intended to pissed everyone off.

  
“This is out of question. The boy and the girl must be found and quickly. Younglings tend to think and act stupidly. It is our role as regents to rise above this senselessness, not to succumb to it. Once again, Lord Benjen. Take us to them so that we can prevent further consequences.” Lord Bolton started to run out of his patience.

  
“Leave the lad alone.” The Greatjon Umber, who had been sitting at the other side of the table and not yet shown a bit of interest in their conversation until now finally raised his voice. “He is as clueless as all you fools are. The Stark boy isn’t stupid, Bolton. He is very clever in fact. He escaped your restraint and brought his young bride with him. Do you think he would sabotage that brilliant plan by revealing it to his uncle?”

  
Benjen had to admit that among all the regents, he liked Lord Umber the most. He was the only ones who hadn’t been seeking to benefit himself from their Regency. And he was indeed the only one who didn’t have any stake in this entire matter. For a while, Benjen had considered ally himself with the Umber against other regents. However, the Greatjon was too much prideful a man and prefer to act alone rather than banding with another. Therefore, Benjen soon abandoned that idea. This time, although he was grateful that Lord Umber came to his defense, Benjen would no longer remain silent and he decided to speak for himself.

  
“My Lords, you underestimate me and my commitment to this council by suspecting me having any part in my niece and nephew’s escape. My blood they may be but I have never indulged their youthful impulsiveness. Had Jonnel ever come to me and discussed his plan, I would have beaten him bloody. Like all of you, I am fully aware of the troubles he may cause to this council and the whole North. You are making no progress by accusing me now. We should waste no moment to search for the Lord of Winterfell.”

  
Lord Bolton’s soft grunt told Benjen that he still hadn’t completely bought that story yet he had no choice but to let it slide for now. The Leech Lord then started giving order in his monotone.

  
“If the boy wants to leave the North, he will have to go through either Moat Cailyn or White Harbor. Seize every man and woman going through the Moat and every ship that is about to leave the Harbor. No one is free until Jonnel Stark is found. Summon Howland Reed to Winterfell. The crannogman had a peculiar relationship with Brandon and Ned Stark in the past and if I remember correctly, the boy was very fond of him. He may help them escape and give them refuge. I will personally lead my men to search close by area south of Winterfell from Castle Cerwyn to Tohren’s Square, all the way to Barrowton if it must be.”

  
“How about north of Winterfell, my Lord.” Benjen interrupted “they may travel to the north instead.”

  
“Taking his beautiful young bride toward the Wall, eh?” Lord Umber said amusedly “hardly a place for a newly-wed to spend their honey moon, I would say.”

  
“They aren’t newly-wed couple, only two foolish children playing star-crossed lovers.” Roose Bolton quickly corrected him “and Umber, you haven’t made yourself useful lately. North of Winterfell is close to your land, why don’t you lead your men and start searching there?”

  
The Greatjon Umber mumbled some curses that Benjen couldn’t hear exactly and immediately walked out of the great hall without a proper farewell to his fellow regents. Benjen also followed suit and excused himself. As he was leaving the hall with Ghost trailing behind him, Benjen didn’t know if he should be proud or angry at Jonnel, for he knew that this entire commotion was Jonnel’s own doings.

  
Benjen still remembered the day Lyanna came back at Winterfell. She had left her home as a wild and rebellious she-wolf and back as a dragon Queen escorted by her new husband, the handsome and flamboyant Rhaegar Targaryen, first of his name, King of Westeros, Lord of Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm.

  
With her, Lyanna also brought back three newly born babes. The first one was a black hair boy with distinct Stark features save for his dark purple eyes. Jonnel Stark had been born a bastard, the fruit of a passionate night shared between Brandon and the seductively attractive Ashara Dayne. Jonnel would have remained bastard if his father hadn’t wedded Lady Ashara on his way to King’s Landing. However, his fate was no less brutal than that of a bastard since his father died strangling himself in the Red Keep while his mother threw herself off a tower in Dorne after her husband’s death and her own brother, Arthur Dayne, and her good brother, Ned Stark, slaughtering each other at the Trident.

  
The second babe was Ned Stark’s own blood. The red haired, blue eyes girl was conceived on his wedding night with Catelyn Tully, Brandon’s jilted betrothed, and was born and raised in Riverrun. There was indeed not an inch of Stark in her but Tully all through and through. Sansa Stark was no less unfortunate than Jonnel, with her father being slain by Arthur Dayne, she was separated from her mother whom was given to Tywin Lannister like a spoil of war. The Old Lion might enjoy his new wife but could never tolerate the rebellion’s blood so he decided to send Sansa back to Winterfell.

  
The third babe was without any question the blood of the dragons, the beautiful silver hair daughter of King Rhaegar and Queen Lyanna. It would have been more befitting if the little princess was named Visenya but since both of her siblings Aegon and Rhaenys had died in the war, she was named Daenerys Targaryen after Daenerys of Dorne in an act of reconciliation with house Martell, who were still bitter over the death of Rhaegar’s first wife, Elia Martell. Princess Daenerys was now the Princess of Dragonstone, heir to the Iron Thrones and was cooed by her parents as well as the entire court, very much unlike her other orphaned cousins.

  
When Benjen came to Lyanna, he couldn’t even bring himself to look at her in the eyes. He quickly took Jonnel and Sansa from her hands and walked away without any sayings. The King was a little upset to see his Queen being treated that way by her own brother and was about to straighten Benjen out but Lyanna promptly stopped him.

  
“Leave him be, my love” she talked in a sweet voice that was very different from Lyanna’s usual bashful tone. “He was in grief. The war has taken great many things from all of us.”

  
Benjen decided not to thank her for that for all of his loss was due to her fault. She might be his Queen now, but Lyanna would never be his sister again. That day, Rhaegar held court at Winterfell. He sat at the high table where Benjen’s father used to sit. All the rebellious Northern Lords were gathered to face the Dragon King’s judgement.

  
On that day, it was concluded that Lord Rickard Stark and his heir Brandon were murdered unjustly by the Mad King Viserys. Of that, house Stark would receive an official apology from the Crown. What a generous compensation from the Targaryens, Benjen thought at that moment. Ned Stark, however, was deemed deliberately conspiring against the Iron Throne with Robert Baratheon, Jon Arryn and Hoster Tully. His name would be erased from the Stark’s family tree and his body would never be admitted into the Winterfell’s crypt. And his daughter, despite being spared and allowed to carry the Stark name, was completely disinherited from the Stark line of succession.

  
Whereas Jonnel Stark as the legitimate son and heir of Brandon, was proclaimed as the new Lord of Winterfell. To aid the young Lord and groom him for adulthood, a regent council was established to govern Winterfell and the North in Jonnel’s name. The pillars of the North, four most powerful houses including Bolton, Karstark, Umber and Manderly were invited to joined the council. To avoid the deadlock in the decisions made by the council, a fifth regent, namely Benjen himself, was included in the council but only to serve at the tie breaker when a majority vote couldn’t be reached among the four regents.

  
Even at his young age, Benjen could still see the brilliance in the Dragon King’s arrangement. On one hand, he satisfied his Queen, who had been begging the King for some redistribution toward house Stark, by giving her nephew and brother some power over Winterfell and the North, which should have been theirs by right in the first place. On the other hand, he weakened the North by letting it be ruled by rival houses who only aimed is to take advantage of the situation. The Lordship of Winterfell and the North was given to a toddler who would no doubt become a puppet to the regents while Benjen, a strong adult Stark male was only given half of the membership in the regent council to prevent the Northern Lords to gather around him.

  
And so the Northern Regency period began. Roose Bolton, through his shear power, ruthlessness and cunning maneuver soon dominated then entire council. Wyman Manderly, who was by no mean less clever than Roose, however, struggled to assert his base since none of the other regents actually liked him. One of his early schemes was to set Jonnel up with one of his lovely granddaughters, which was quickly put down by Lord Bolton. The Manderly ended up relying on subtle manipulation instead.

  
The Greatjon Umber was an honest and honorable man but he considered the Regency a chore rather than an opportunity. While that attitude made him less insufferable than other regents, it prevented Benjen from being able to count on him at important moments.

  
Rickard was the biggest fool of all. The man was proud, entitled and hot-tempered. He had great ambition but lack the wit to realize it. Lord Karstark eventually became nothing more than a pawn for Bolton and Manderly to toss around depending on the case. A deal had been struck between him and Roose Bolton. His daughter, Alys Karstark would soon be betrothed to Jonnel while Bolton’s son, Domeric would have Sansa’s hand.

  
Rickard Karstark had been sleeping well at night, thinking that he got the better of the Leech Lord in their deal. Little did he realize that since Roose Bolton was without daughter, Jonnel’s marriage was of little interest to him. Not to mention that Queen Lyanna was actually working toward a betrothal between Jonnel Stark and Princess Daenerys as a way to absorb herself of her past sins against house Stark.

  
To the Lord of Dreadfort, Sansa Stark was a bigger prize despite being the traitor’s daughter. Not only she carried Stark blood which would be soon mixed with Bolton’s once she was married to his son, the North still remembered her father fondly and considered her treatment unfair. Last but not least, she had the connection with the now powerful Lady Lannister, who many had said even outshined the Queen in King’s Landing.

  
Benjen could do little but stand by and witness his niece and nephew become the nothing more than pieces on the political chest board. He took care of them with all his love but he could never replace the parents that they had lost.

  
As Jonnel and Sansa grew up, being bullied, intimidated and controlled by the regents, they became closer and closer to one another. At first, it warmed Benjen’s heart to see their sibbling’s affection since it reminded him of the love that Brandon, Ned and he used to share with Lyanna when they were younger. However, he was totally freaked out when one day he heard Jonnel proclaimed “We are Jonnel and Sansa Stark. We are meant for each other.” That changed everything.

  
Deep down, Benjen wished he could just give them his blessing but he knew the world wasn’t simple as it might seem in the eyes of youngling madly in love. The regent council would never let them do as they wished. Their lives might be never fully theirs to decide. Too many things were at risks and too many dangers awaiting them. Before Benjen could figure out how to deal with this situation, Jonnel sneaked away from Winterfell with Sansa following him. The note he left behind indicated that he had taken her to the heart tree and properly wedded her according to the ancient custom.

  
Jonnel’s action had thrown the council into chaos and now they had to clean his mess. To a certain extent, Benjen enjoyed watching Bolton and Karstark completely gone mad. He believed Lord Umber at least, shared with him this feeling. However, he was worried for his niece and nephew. Benjen wished that he had protected them better even from themselves. They were the last legacy that Brandon and Ned left behind in this world and Benjen had failed to preserve them.

  
When Benjen was still deep in his thought, he saw maester Luwin approaching him. He could see the sympathy in the old maester’s eyes.

  
“Is the council still arguing, my Lord?” Luwin asked him.

  
“Like a mummers’ show, yes.” Benjen answered tiredly.

  
“King’s Landing may wish to know about this matter.” The maester continued “What should we tell them, my Lord?”

  
Benjen sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before replying “The truth, maester Luwin. The truth.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to give each of the regents a stand out character but due to my limit, they may not be that stand out. I actually love Manderly and Umber but I feel my Bolton kinda fall short. He is more Tywin than Roose Bolton, I feel. Also Benjen seems a bit weak, but it was exactly what I mean for him to be.
> 
> Some other side note, Catelyn is Lady Lannister now. Imagine her being trained by Tywin, how smart she would have become. Also since she is very devoted to her family, how far would she go to ensure the legacy of house Lannister.
> 
> Lastly, in this AU, all Starks have their own direwolves, kinda like Targaryens have their dragon. Here are some known direwolves:
> 
> \- Winter (Rickard Stark's direwolf): a black wolf with yellow eyes. A very menacing beast who has attended many battle with Lord Rickard. He was burned with his master by the Mad King.  
> \- White Fang (Lyarra Stark's direwolf): an albino she-wolf with blue eyes. She used to live in the mountain before being captured and gifted to Lyarra. She was very fast good at hunting. Winter and White Fang bred and gave birth to a pack of four pups including Dark Crow, Shepherd, Grey Wind and Ghost.  
> \- Dark Crow (Brandon Stark's direwolf): a black wolf with black eyes. The wildest wolf in his pack. Dark Crow was beheaded in King's Landing. His head was sewed to Brandon's body.  
> \- Shepherd (Ned Stark's direwolf): a grey wolf with grey eyes. Very ordinary looking, even tempered and reliable companion. Shepherd was a good hunter and surprisingly was the alpha in his pack instead of Dark Crow. Shepherd was killed at the Trident with his master.  
> \- Grey Wind (Lyanna Stark's direwolf): a grey she-wolf with red eyes. She was faster than even her mother and was also good at hunting. Rhaegar had remarked that Grey Wind had the color of both Stark and Targaryen. Grey Wind bred with Shepherd and gave birth to two sister pups: Lady and Visenya.  
> \- Ghost (Benjen Stark's direwolf): an albino wolf with red eyes. A very quiet and aloof wolf but very protective toward his master.  
> \- Berserk (Jonnel Stark's direwolf): a black wolf with purple eyes. Berserk was a stray pup found by Jonnel in the Wolf's Woods. He was the biggest direwolf in the living history, even bigger than Winter. Old Nan claimed that Berserk is even bigger than Long Night, the legendary direwolf of the legendary Cregan Stark. Roose Bolton wanted to put Berserk down when he was still a pup but Jonnel cried and begged him to spare the wolf's life. That kinda pleased the Leech Lord and he allowed Jonnel to keep Berserk. This become one of his biggest mistakes.  
> \- Lady (Sansa Stark's direwolf): a auburn hair she-wolf with blue eyes. The smallest but most beautiful wolf. Lady was gentle and well mannered but she was also good at hunting.  
> \- Visenya (Daenaerys Stark Targaryen's direwolf): an albino she-wolf with grey eyes. She is quite wild and bashful.


	2. The Dark Star

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been awhile since I read "A Dance with Dragons" so I don't remember exactly the Dark Star's character. This is just my own imagination of him. I wanted to include him in my main work but it hasn't reach there yet so I am quite happy to have him here.

Leaning against the window on the highest story of the holdfast, Gerold lazily watch the endless body of snow that spread in all direction around Queenscrown. The freezing breeze made him tighten his fur coat and swallow half of his hot ale tankard just to regain some warmth. Gerold had caught a serious cold since the last sennight and no matter how thick the fur he wore or how much ale he drank, the sickness just didn’t go away.

Looking down to the ground, Gerold could clearly see the lovey-dovey couple courting each other. They had been walking together hand in hand for what seemed like hours. Then they played catching up, running around the yard and throwing snow at each other while laughing cheerfully. Finally, they walked with each other again. Sometimes, Jonnel Stark reached over to kiss his young wife’s forehead. Other moments, Sansa Stark rested her lovely body against her husband’s chest. They looked as if they were in a world of their own free from any duty, obligation and responsibility.

Gerold didn’t know if watching them would warm his heart or make him sicker. The only thing he knew was that he hated the North. He hated its snow, its coldness, its vastness, its isolation, its tasteless ale and its fucking people. Gerold missed the warm sand in Dorne. He missed the burning taste of Dornish reds. And he missed Dornish women too.

He still remembered the Princess Arianne. He remembered her dark hair falling on his face when she was on top of him, her skin was so soft when they touched each other and she smelled good when she was in his arm. The Princess used to moan so sweetly when he was inside her, making Gerold feel like the man among men even though he was just one of many lovestruck fools that were allowed to share her bed.

Gerold should have stayed with her forever, being her sworn sword, her lover, her servant or her slave even, whatever the Princess saw fit of him. And yet when Benjen Stark sent him the missive inviting him to Winterfell to teach his nephew house Dayne’s sword work, Gerold’s thirst for adventure immediately kicked in and he started packing up to travel north.

“I haven’t never been to the North.” He told Arianne when they parted. “Not many Dornishs have ever been there.”

Now Gerold realized why Dornishs weren’t bother to come here. Because it wasn’t even worth the effort. Gerold could have left Winterfell the day after he arrived but he had decided to stick around for sometimes to honor his promise to Benjen Stark. Arthur Dayne, his distant cousin and his lifelong rival, had been praised as the noblest knight of his age. How could Gerold measure himself up to the Sword of the Morning if he couldn’t even keep his words.

The first few moons had been terrible for Gerold for he resented Jonnel Stark. The boy was too talented for his own good. At his same age, Gerold was never capable of doing what Jonnel did. Several techniques that took him years to master, Jonnel could get it right in moons.

  
This was like a nightmare came true to Gerold because for his entirely life, he had been over-shadowed by Arthur Dayne. If Arthur was the pride of house Dayne, Gerold was only his other cousin. If Arthur was the deadliest swordman in Seven Kingdoms, Gerold was one of thousands of men who wouldn’t disgrace himself in battles. If Arthur was the Morning Star, Gerold was just a Dark Star. And yet when the Morning Star was just vanished from this world, here rose the young North Star that would outshine the Dark Star again.

His hatred toward Jonnel had prevented Gerold from teaching the boy the real house Dayne’s special skills during the days. At nights, it made him sleepless because of the shame he had to bear. And yet as Gerold spent more time in Winterfell, the unthinkable happened: he started warming up to the boy.

Up until then, Gerold had only seen him as a rival, an Arthur Dayne came again while forgotten that he was just a broken boy. Being the Lord of Winterfell wasn’t a privileged but more like a curse to Jonnel. The regents who were supposed to help him only used his name to enlarge their power and influence. Jonnel’s only companions were his wild beast and his cousin, Sansa Stark.

Benjen Stark was a good man who truly cared for his nephew. However, he was too busy getting himself tight with the council that he didn’t actually have time for the boy. Even when Benjen did spend time with Jonnel, he just didn’t know how to communicate with him. Therefore, the young Lord of Winterfell clinched to Gerold like an uncle or a brother that he never had. Jonnel Stark loved him with all his heart and idolized him. And for what it was worth, the boy hated Arthur Dayne to his bones for killing his dear cousin Sansa’s father.

Finally, Gerold decided that Jonnel Stark was a Dayne himself. The blood of both the First Men and the Rhoynar ran in him. He was of both Snow and Sand. And it didn’t fare well to let a member of house Dayne being mistreated the way Jonnel was. Gerold was determined to train Jonnel so that the boy could defend himself against all of his enemy. If one day Jonnel became the greatest swordman that ever walked, Gerold would be his proud teacher rather than a bitter opponent.

When Jonnel came to him to share his escape plan, Gerold was indeed hesitant. If he still harbored just a bit of hatred toward the boy, he would have encouraged him to go through with that plan. However, since Gerold was really concerned for Jonnel, he advised the boy against it. He didn’t want Jonnel to sign the death warrant for himself and his beloved. He wasn’t a nameless bastard he was born to be but the Lord of Winterfell, future Warden of the North and nephew to the Queen of Westeros. The regent council had plan for him and so did the Queen. They would never let him go free to wed a traitor’s daughter.

And yet as Gerold was about to wash his hand off this matter, it was Sansa Stark who attempted to convince him. Gerold had never met Lady Lannister but her reputation preceded herself. Despite being separated from each other for ages, Sansa proved to be her mother’s daughter. The girl was good at making other do her bidding. The sweet sound of her begging was like music to one’s ear. She even shed some tears in the end. Although the Dark Star was known for his coldness and heartlessness, he couldn’t bear himself to let Sansa cry.

The White Wedding occurred in the Godswood, right under the nose of the regent council. That would add much to their insult once they found out, Gerold supposed. Gerold represented the groom while Ser Rodrik Cassel, the old master of arm of Winterfell, had the honor of leading the bride. Their witnesses were a pair of direwolves, an old lady who seemed to have lived more than hundred years and a giant dimwit named Hodor.

On that snowy night, in front of the Old Gods and a bunch of misfits, Jonnel and Sansa Stark pledged themselves to be husband and wife, the Lord and Lady of Winterfell. There was no celebration nor extravagant feast, not even a bedding ceremony. However, in that very night, they all sneaked out of the castle from the Hunter’s Gate, then rode through the Wolfswood straight toward Queenscrown.

Now they were in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but snow and wilderness. In fact, Gerold was surprised that they hadn’t been buried in snow by now. The young couple didn’t seem to notice his misery for Lady Stark had even expressed her desire to visit the Wall. Lord Stark seemed to indulge his wife. “Just like Jaehaerys and Alysanne,” he said. It was Gerold put a stop to that madness. He swore this was the furthest north he was willing to go. If they made him travel any further, he would have turned back for Dorne.

Despite his threat, Gerold was aware that he might never live to see Dorne again. Roose Bolton must have sealed off the North and the Leech Lord wouldn’t rest until he captured them. Gerold’s fate was tied with Jonnel and Sansa now. Either the Starklings prevailed and forced the regent council, and the Iron Throne even, to accept their marriage or they would all die. Gerold would be the very first one going down since no Northerner would miss a chance to slay a Dornishman.

Without Gerold noticed, Ser Rodrik, his partner in crime, slowly approached and stood by him at the window. “Lovely country, isn’t it?” The old knight teased him.

“That isn’t the word I would think of.” Gerold replied “I would call this Seven Hell but then at least it is warm there.”

“You, Southron, have the concept of hell completely wrong.” Ser Rodrik argued “hell is a place of eternal winter and coldness.”

“I guess we will know soon enough when Lord Bolton has both of use flayed alive in the middle of Wintertown.” Gerold said nonchalantly “tell me, good Ser. Do you think the Lord and Lady Stark will weep for us or for their lost love?”

“Don’t tell me you already regret your decision, Dark Star.”

  
“I have no absolutely no regret, Ser. I simply wonder what is the point for all of this. He isn’t even fucking her.”

“The girl isn’t yet fourteen. There will be a risk if she is pregnant now. King Jaehaerys used to wait for his Queen …”

“Now you start talking like them.” Gerold snorted “spare me those children’s tales. We are all aware of the risk for Sansa but a union without consummate is just a sham. The council will use this to renounce their marriage. All of our hard works will be for naught.”

“Unless we stay away from the council until she is ready.”

“How? Like Jaehaerys and Alysanne?” Gerold asked with all of his frustration but somehow, he felt like he already knew the answer.

“Queenscrown is a good defensive holdfast. Even if they knew we are here, they still can’t just simply storm us. If they try to seize and starve us to death, the whole North will know that Bolton murders his Liege Lord.” Rodrik explained to him patiently “if Jaehaerys could wait out at Dragonstone for nearly two years then so can we.”

“They had two dragons to protect them. What do the Starklings have? Us? Two foolish old knights who don’t even know right and wrong?”

“They have them.” The master of arm spoke with all of his confidence as he pointed down at the two direwolves standing close by Jonnel and Sansa Stark. “Those beasts aren’t less ferocious than dragons.”

Gerold quietly observed the two creatures. Berserk was indeed an impressive animal, a “Balerion the Black Dread” among direwolves. Just the sight of him was enough to scare an army. Lady, on the other hand, was much smaller, not even half Berserk’s size and just slightly larger than a normal hunting hound. However, Gerold had seen her hunting before. She was quick and efficient with every move. One would make a big mistake underestimate Lady.

Then their defense force included two deadly direwolves, two seasoned knights, Jonnel could fight as well as any warrior twice his age and Hodor would be unstoppable if he was put to good use. Gerold averted his eyes to avoid Ser Rodrik’s winning smirk, unwilling to admit that it might just work.

Suddenly Gerold spotted something at the horizon that his face became quickly darkened just like his name. He turned to Ser Rodrik and saw his smile also completely disappeared.

“A roaring giant with brown hair in a broken silver chain.” Ser Rodrik grinned his teeth “it is house Umber.”

“Go and tell Lord Stark, Ser.” The Dark Star commanded. “The Greatjon is here.”


End file.
